Astilbe plant named ‘Love and Pride’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Love and Pride’, characterized by its upright and sturdy plant habit; strong and healthy foliage; freely and uniformly flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe chinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Love and Pride’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe,botanically known as Astilbe chinensis and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Love and Pride’.

The new Astilbe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new Astilbe cultivars with healthyfoliage and attractive flower coloration.

The new Astilbe originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 1998 in Heemskerk, The Netherlands, of two unidentified selections ofAstilbe chinensis, not patented. The new Astilbe was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inHeemskerk, The Netherlands in July, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe by divisions in a controlledenvironment in Heemskerk, The Netherlands since January, 2000, has shownthat the unique features of this new Astilbe are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Love and Pride has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Love and Pride’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Love and Pride’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Astilbe:

-   -   1. Upright and sturdy plant habit.    -   2. Strong and healthy foliage.    -   3. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.    -   4. Red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe and the parent selections differ primarily inflower coloration and plant height.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of the cultivarFinale, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHeemskerk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astilbe and the cultivarFinale differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe were slightly taller than plants of        the cultivar Finale.    -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe were sturdier than plants of the        cultivar Finale.    -   3. Plants of the new Astilbe flowered earlier than plants of the        cultivar Finale.    -   4. Plants of the new Astilbe had brighter red purple-colored        flowers than plants of the cultivar Finale.

Plants of the new Astilbe can also be compared to plants of the cultivarCattleya, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHeemskerk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astilbe and the cultivarCattleya differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe were slightly taller than plants of        the cultivar Cattleya.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Astilbe were pubescent whereas        leaves of plants of the cultivar Cattleya were glabrous.    -   3. Plants of the new Astilbe flowered later than plants of the        cultivar Cattleya.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Astilbe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Astilbe.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Love and Pride’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Love and Pride’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘Love and Pride’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of the uppersurface of a typical leaf of ‘Love and Pride’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in containers in Heemskerk, TheNetherlands, under commercial practice during the early autumn in anoutdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 32° C. andnight temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 16° C. Plants had been growingfor about one year when the photographs and description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe chinensis cultivar Love and Pride.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Astilbe            chinensis, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Astilbe            chinensis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About 50 days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Upright and sturdy            plant habit; roughly triangular. Flowering stems and leaves            basal; dense and bushy growth habit; moderately vigorous to            vigorous growth habit. Freely and uniformly flowering with            numerous flowers on branched panicles.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to fast; from divisions, about 18            weeks are required to produce fully-grown flowering plants.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plant).—About 58.5            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 93            cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 90.8 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 54.8 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Internode length: About 16.7 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound.        -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 33.6 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 29.7 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 5.1 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 7.5 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 4.1 cm.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet shape.—Ovate to narrowly ovate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet margin.—Biserrate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent; slightly rough.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper            surface: 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Between            138A and 143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 137B;            venation, 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 137C;            venation, 144C.        -   Leaf petiole length.—About 17.9 cm.        -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Leaflet petiole length.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Leaflet petiole width.—About 3 mm.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces.—144B; at the nodes, 175A to 175B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Numerous single rotate flowers arranged            on branched panicles; flowers fact upright, outward or            downward depending on position on the panicle. Panicles            conical in shape. Freely and uniformly flowering habit with            about 1,000 flower buds and flowers developing per            inflorescence; typically twelve panicles develop per plant.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering during the            summer and late summer in Heemskerk, The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plants. Flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Broadly ovoid. Color: 60B to 60C; towards the base,            145C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 25.9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 7 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 7 mm. Lobe width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Developing petals, upper and lower surfaces: 76A to 76C.            Fully expanded petals, upper and lower surfaces: 76A to 76C;            color becoming closer to 77C with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate calyx. Length:            About 2 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, developing sepals, upper and lower            surfaces: 60B to 60C; towards the base, 145C. Color, fully            expanded sepals, upper and lower surfaces: 145C; towards the            apex, 60C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 25.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: 182A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle:            About 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 182D to 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            ten; anthers basifixed. Filament length: About 3.5 mm.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 0.2 mm. Anther            color: 156D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 155D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two. Pistil length: About            2.5 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: 60D. Style            length: About 2.3 mm. Style color: N155B to N155C. Ovary            color: 65C to 65D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Astilbe have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and high    temperatures of about 35° C. Plants of the new Astilbe have been    observed to be hardy to USDA Zone 5.

1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Love and Pride’ asillustrated and described.